The Virtual Drop In

This is the place for the PIElink community's on-line 'Virtual Drop In' - easy-access, impromptu, live streaming, action learning video conferences with no pre-set agenda. Sometimes there can be an agreed topic to focus on; sometimes it can be more open, like a PIE clinic.

We began this as an experiment in Spring 2016, with a whole month of regular, three-times weekly sessions, 4-5pm GMT, and aimed primarily at newer members (though anyone could join...). At the time, it seemed perhaps a little futuristic, and few took the opportunity (though it was great talking to those who did....)

Now that such live streaming has become much more commonplace - with Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat etc all offering it - and with an influx of new members in late 2016 and the first weeks of 2017, there may yet be a good time to try this again.

We will be using email, to try to identify in advance who might be interested in any specific topics; but if you have suggestions or requests, DO let us know. Once we have a discussion scheduled, all you will need to do is to click on the square below, at the agreed time ( NB: at other times there will simply be nobody else there ) - and that's it - you are live!

Simple groundrules: be polite, be prepared to explain who you are, check in advance that your web camera is working, have headphones handy in case of feedback whine (it's a bit unpredictable) - and don't sit with your back to the light!

Welcome

Here, in the Virtual Drop In, participants are free to discuss whatever they choose.

(Please note that members/viewers can make their own written comments and post them, in the snappily titled "Comments" box that appears below the portal* screen.)

We call it a portal, because, for a generation brought up on Doctor Who, we all know a portal is what opens up to transport you to a whole new world.

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Simple groundrules: be polite, be prepared to explain who you are, check in advance that your web camera is working, have headphones handy in case of feedback whine (it's a bit unpredictable) - and don't sit with your back to the light!

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One issue we may have is feedback from participants' speakers. This is the advice on the appear.in 'Trouble shooting' pages (here)

I am experiencing audio issues and/or feedback. What can I do?

If you experience echo, you can try using headphones, or try to get all participants to use Chrome or Opera. There are known issues with feedback when one of the participants are using Firefox, as it does not yet have full echo cancellation.

The quality of audio and video is also very dependent on the quality of the network connection of the participants, so if someone is on a low bandwidth network, this might give a bad experience.